TCSO Warns Tulsans About 'Convincing' Phone Scams

The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) has a warning about scammers who are calling people claiming to be deputies and asking for money.

Deputies say some folks have lost as much as $3,500 because of this scam, so they're reminding the community that this is not how they operate.

Casey Roebuck with the TCSO said these crimes are especially irritating because the scammers have it down to a T.

"I've actually been on the phone with one of these guys and they can sound very convincing," Roebuck said. "They sound very official. And it's very scary for people to don't know how we actually do our jobs."

Deputies say scammers have been calling people saying they are with the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office.

They say the scammers tell the potential victim that they have a warrant, and they have to pay a bond to avoid arrest.

The scammers instruct the victim to buy cash cards from local stores and provide the card numbers to pay the bond.

Roebuck says no matter how convincing it sounds, that is something they would never do.

"This isn't how we do business," Roebuck said. "This isn't how law enforcement does business. We're not going to call you on the phone, say you have a warrant, and you have to pay a bond over the phone. That's absolutely not how it's done. You will receive some official paperwork or notification, or if we want to arrest you, we are just going to go pick you up."

Roebuck says often, the only way to combat the issue is to spread the word.

Victims don't usually get stolen money back even if the scammers are caught, which is already a tough task.

"Sometimes these phone calls are coming from other countries," Roebuck said. "Sometimes they're coming from out of state. They're hard to track. The phone numbers change without notice."

Roebuck says any criminal charges against the scammers would depend on how much money they stole.

If you believe you're a victim of this scam, call 918-596-COPS to file a report.